After watching these guys for five days this past week in Lake Placid at the National Junior Team Evaluation Camp, here's who I think is on the short list to make this team in December.
The toughest position to fill will be between the pipes. The depth at goaltending is outstanding. It's been made pretty clear by the coaching staff that, barring injury, the starting position is Jack Campbell's (Windsor) to lose. The real debate is who will back him up. Andy Iles (Cornell) was great last year and he's only gotten better. John Gibson (NTDP/Kitchener) has been up to the task and faces a tough challenge today against Sweden. Iles played in the U-20's last year. Gibson played in the U-18's. Both won medals. Do you go with the back up who's been there before or do you go with the back up who has been tabbed as the starter for next year to give him the experience at this level? It's really going to be a monumentally tough decision for the powers that be at USA Hockey. Might even come down to a coin flip.
The next most challenging position to fill will be on the blue line. As of two days ago, I had Faulk (UMD/Charlotte), Adam Clendening (BU), Stephen Johns (Notre Dame) and Connor Murphy (NTDP/Sarnia) as locks on this team. All four were simply outstanding all week. Murphy's injury (torn meniscus in his right knee) puts a wrinkle in that since he won't skate again until late November or early December, which likely isn't enough time to get in game shape for this tournament. You can't count him out though…he's a fierce competitor and will do everything he can to get back on the ice as soon as possible. If he's skating, he'll definitely be invited to camp and given the opportunity to prove he's ready to go.
With every shift this week in Lake Placid, it became more and more apparent that Seth Jones (NTDP), at 16 years old (17 in October), has worked his way onto the short list for this team. He's a big body with a long reach. He's a great skater who's positionally sound and has a cannon of a shot. I don't see any way he's not on this team.
That leaves three spots (assuming Murphy is not ready to go). Jarred Tinordi (London) had a rough first game against Sweden. He was simply undisciplined and found himself in the box more than he was on the ice. Once he was able to control his adrenalin, he was a force to be reckoned with. He was physical, protective and making smart decisions with the puck. Paired with Clendening, they were one of the most productive and responsible defensive pairings. He's earned a long look towards making this roster.
That leaves two spots. Derek Forbort (North Dakota) and Jon Merrill (Michigan)were on last year's team and while they didn't have the best showing this week, they will be given every opportunity to make this team…but it does leave the door open for someone (like Scott Mayfield) to have a great start to the season and earn an invite to selection camp in December and possibly unseat them. Like I said, there may not be a true standout among this group, but there's a lot of depth.
As far as forwards go, my list includes Jason Zucker (Denver), Charlie Coyle (BU), Nick Bjugstad (Minnesota) and Emerson Etem (Medicine Hat), who were all on last year's team. All of them brought energy and intensity to the ice and got better and better as the week went on. For the new guys, everyone expected JT Miller (NTDP/Plymouth) and Rocco Grimaldi (NTDP/North Dakota) to impress and they certainly lived up to expectations. I was excited to see how TJ Tynan (Notre Dame) would match up considering I thought he deserved an invite to Selection Camp last December and he didn't disappoint.
My big surprises were Kenny Agostino (Yale), Connor Brickley (Vermont) and Vince Trocheck (Saginaw). Agostino was one of the most consistent players in Lake Placid - seemed like no matter who his linemates were, his line was producing points. Brickley is the perfect 4th line energy guy. He brings it every game, every shift and is willing to do anything and everything to earn a spot on this team. Trocheck seemed to be in the right place at the right time to score some pretty clutch goals this week and brings a lot of energy to the ice.
That leaves leaves three spots open at forward and those spots are WIDE open. That's not to say the seven guys left in camp don't have done something to lose the opportunity to make this team, but they haven't done anything particularly outstanding to make it hard for another guy to take that roster spot away from them. Should make things interesting come December.
Julie
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